Wen Zhenheng
Encyclopedia
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
scholar, painter, landscape garden designer, and great grandson of Wen Zhengming
Wen Zhengming
Wen Zhengming was a leading Ming Dynasty painter, calligrapher, and scholar.Born in present-day Suzhou, he claimed to be a descendant of the Song Dynasty prime minister and patriot Wen Tianxiang. Wen’s family was originally from Hengyang, Hunan, where his family had established itself shortly...
, a famous Ming dynasty painter.
Wen was born in Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
in 1585. In 1621, he graduated from the Imperial Academy, obtained the lowest degree of zhusheng
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
. In 1637, Wen was the assistant magistrate of Longzhou county in the Shanxi prefecture. On the same year, he was appointed Secretariat Drafter by Chongzhen Emperor
Chongzhen Emperor
The Chongzhen Emperor was the 16th and last emperor of the Ming Dynasty in China. He reigned from 1627 to 1644, under an era name that means "honorable and auspicious".- Early years :...
. Wen Zhenheng was famous for his calligraphy
East Asian calligraphy
East Asian calligraphy is a form of calligraphy widely practised and revered in the Sinosphere. This most often includes China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. The East Asian calligraphic tradition originated and developed from China. There is a general standardization of the various styles of...
, poetry and essay. He was also an expert in landscape garden design
Landscape architecture
Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...
, the Sweetgrass Garden he built in Suzhou was famous at his time.
Treatise on Superfluous Things
Zhang Wu Zhi was divided into twelve volumes:
- Vol 1. House and Dwelling—17 chapters
- Vol 2. Flowers and Trees—43 chapters
- Vol 3. Water and Stones - 18 chapters
- Vol 4. Fowl and Fish—11 chapters
- Vol 5. Books and Paintings - 26 chapters
- Vol 6. Chairs and Beds—20 chapters
- Vol 7. Utensils—58 chapters
- Vol 8. Cloths and accessories—10 chapters
- Vol 9. Boat and carriage—4 chapters
- Vol 10. Arrangement—11 chapters
- Vol 11. Vegetable and Fruits—27 chapters
- Vol 12. Incense and Tea—24 chapters(Wen Zhenheng on Tea)